A recent comparison of three clothing care devices currently on the market revealed some interesting findings. While their core functions—wrinkle removal, deodorization, sterilization, and drying—were generally on par, notable differences emerged in operating time, noise levels, and dehumidification capacity.
On Wednesday, the Korea Consumer Agency released the results of its rigorous tests and evaluations on the quality and safety of three popular clothing care devices from Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, and Coway.
The products under scrutiny were the Samsung Electronics DF90H24R4D (5 garments), LG Electronics SC5MSR82S (5 garments), and Coway FAD-02S (3 garments).
When it came to wrinkle removal performance in the widely-used Standard Styling Course, all devices scored between 2.5 and 3.0 on a 5-point scale—basically average.
LG Electronics took the lead in speed, with an operating time of just 31 minutes. Samsung Electronics followed at 35 minutes, while Coway lagged behind at 45 minutes—that’s a whopping 14-minute difference!
However, when using specialized wrinkle-busting features like Samsung’s Wrinkle Focus Course and LG’s Hand Steamer, the devices really stepped up their game, scoring above 4.0 and outperforming their Standard Styling Course results.
All three devices knocked it out of the park when it came to eliminating those pesky odors from smoke and sweat. They also achieved over 99% sterilization against four types of bacteria, including the notorious Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli. Talk about a deep clean!
Drying performance was equally impressive across the board, with no need for additional drying time. Samsung Electronics took the crown for the shortest drying time at maximum capacity, clocking in at 1 hour and 7 minutes. LG Electronics wasn’t far behind at 1 hour and 10 minutes, while Coway took its sweet time at 1 hour and 30 minutes—a 23-minute spread.
Interestingly, when drying just one shirt, Samsung and LG’s devices significantly cut down their drying times by 28 and 16 minutes respectively. Coway, however, stuck to its guns with a consistent 1 hour and 30 minutes regardless of load size.
In the noise department, Coway emerged as the quiet champion during the Standard Styling Course, keeping things hushed at below 44 dB. Samsung and LG’s devices were a tad louder, but still acceptable at below 48 dB.
When it came to indoor dehumidification, the differences were stark. After a two-hour dehumidification course, Samsung’s device was the clear winner, removing a whopping 937 mL (about 31.7 oz) of moisture. LG followed with 626 mL (about 21.2 oz), and Coway trailed with 567 mL (about 19.2 oz) —that’s a 370 mL (about 12.5 oz) difference! But here’s the catch: Samsung’s device operates with the door open, while the other two keep things closed.
Safety-wise, all products passed with flying colors, meeting standards for electric shock protection and leakage. As for your wallet, the annual electricity cost (based on 144 uses of the Standard Styling Course) ranged from 7,600 KRW to 9,100 KRW (about 5.56 to 6.65 USD), with a maximum difference of about 1,500 KRW (about 1.10 USD).
Some devices showed room for improvement in the user experience department. LG’s AI drying course could vary by over an hour under the same conditions—talk about unpredictable! They’re working on tweaking that algorithm.
Samsung’s device had a potential safety issue, as it could operate even if the door wasn’t fully closed. They’ve since beefed up the hinge strength and added a door closure alert. Coway, realizing their device didn’t adjust drying times based on load size and moisture content, plans to incorporate this feature in future models.
Before you rush out to buy one of these nifty gadgets, the Consumer Agency has some pro tips: Choose a capacity that fits your household size, make sure the features match your needs, and don’t forget to clean those filters regularly! Your clothes (and your electricity bill) will thank you.